Separator for metals



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W. J. DWYER. SEPARATOR FOR METALS.

No. 603,133. Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

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W. J. DWYER. SEPARATOR FOR METALS.

N0.-603,133. Patented'Apr. 2-6, 1898 BY 7 ATTORNEYS.

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UNiTED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

WILLIAM J. DlVYER, OF HILLYARD, lVASHlNGTON.

SEPARATOR FOR M ETALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,133, dated April 26, 1898.

Application filed June 9, 1897. $erial No. $10,000. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. DwYER, of l-lillyard,in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented a new and Improved Separator for Metals, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to apparatus for saving fine mineral from. pulp or tailin gs of mills and concentrators; and the object is to pro vide an apparatus for this purpose that in its operation will save from the pulp or tailings the greater portion, if not all, of the metal.

I will describe a separator embodying my invention, and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2, showing a separator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of- Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of a carrier employed.

1 have here shown but one separator; but it is to be understood that any desired number may be connected in a series. The number, however, will be limited or governed by the fall of water obtainable, which must be sufficient to give the required fall in the pulp or tailings' carrier.

The separator comprises a table 1, inclined downward toward its discharge end, and this table is supported on four uprights 2. The table 1 may be of any desired length and width, and it will be covered on its upper surface with canvas 3, designed to catch and retain the flour or fine metal. Extended along the discharge ends of the series of tables is a trough 4, having a longitudinal partition 5, dividing it into two compartments or discharge-ways 6 and 7. Mounted to rock transversely of the partition 5 and above the same is a deflector-board 8, designed to be shifted to direct the discharge from the table into either one of the compartments 6 or 7. This deflector-board may be shifted in one direction by means of the pivoted lever 9, having a flexible connection 10 with said board near one edge. This flexible connection 10 will extend over suitable pulleys on the side uprights of the separator.

Extended across the upper ends of the series of separator-tables is a pulp or tailings carrying trough 11. This trough of course is common to all the tables of a series, or, in other words, is designed to direct the pulp and tailings containing the metal to the several tables. At its feed end the trough 11 has a portion 12,extended outward,as here shown, at an obtuse angle. The inlet end of this portion 12 is narrower than the trough 11. In fact, this inlet must be proportioned to the number of tables, allowing one miners inch for each table-supply. The portion 12 will be of suitable lengthsay three feet, in which instance it will have a fall of two inches to the foot. The angle and fall in the feed to the main carrier or trough causes an equal distribution of pulp throughout the carrier, and the carrier-trough 11 will have a uniform fall of one-fourth inch to the foot.

Arranged along the inner side of the carrier-trough and about two inches from its side wall is a series of feed-strips 13, designed to direct material to the respective tables. There will of course be one of these feedstrips for each table. The lower ends of the troughs formed by the feed-strips will be closed, and at these lower ends the feedt-rough 11 will have openings 14 through its wall. The upper ends of the troughs formed by these feed-strips will of course be open, and the upper end of each strip will slightly overlap the lower end of the strip just above it.

The outlet 14 for each separator will provide communication with a boxing having two compartments 15 and 16, and the communication through the Wall separating these compartments will be controlled by a gatevalve 17. The compartment 16 will be closed at its top, and leading through said top from the water-pipe 18 is a valve-controlled pipe 19. This water-pipe 18 will of course extend along the whole series of tables. From the compartment 16 a tube 20, preferably a flexible hose, will lead into a trough 21, discharging through a small aperture into a distributor-box 22, having openings through its side and front wall near the bottom for discharging material onto a distributing-bed 23,which,

sealed upper end into the hopper 28.

it will be seen, is arranged in a suitable trough extended the full width of the table 1, and the said distributer-bed will be inclined from the center downward in both directions from the box 22.

On the surface of the distributer-bed 23 galvanized-iron strips 21- are arranged. These galvanized strips 24: will form the side walls of conduits for directing the material to the spaces between upright cleats 25 on the inner side of the wall 26 of the trough. The lower edge of this front wall 26 will be a short dis tance above the riftle-board 27, which is engaged upon the head of the table 1. By means of the strips 21 it is obvious that thewater containing, the metal will be distributed evenly over the canvas and in a thin sheet.

, At the head of the distributing-trough 11 and connecting with the end of the portion 12 is a grading-hopper 23, designed to receive the material to be treated. At its lower end this hopper 28 has a pipe 29, communicating with a horizontally-disposed boxing 30, having an outlet 31. A'water-pipe 32 extends through the boxing 30 and up through the pipe 29. The pipe 32 is of course smaller than the interior of the pipe 29, so that material may discharge from the hopper 28. This pipe 32 is provided with a valve 33, and a smaller pipe 34 has a portion extended into the horizontal portion of the pipe 32 and a vertical portion extended up through the vertical portion of the pipe 32 and through its At its upper end this pipe 34 has cross-pipes 35, provided with perforations, and the vertically- 'disposed portion of the pipe 32 will also be provided with perforations. The lower end of the pipe 3% has a controlling-valve 36, the

stem of which extends through the wall of the pipe In operation the material to be treated will be placed in the hopper 28, and then water under pressure will be admitted through the pipes 32 and 34:. This water will be ejected from the vertical portion of the pipe 32 and through the perforations in the cross-pipes 35 in the form of a spray. sprays causes the coarse values, particles of slime, and pulp which enter the top of the hopper to settle into the boxing 30, from which they are discharged through the outlet 31, which is always open. The light particles will be floated upward with the pressure of water and overflow into the carrier-trough 11, and this water and pulp flowing along through the trough 11 will be discharged through the openings 14: into the compartments 15 and 16, and thence through the tube 20 and into the distributer, as before described, and from there onto the canvas secured to the table. The metal to be saved will be deposited on the canvas, and when the canvas is sufficiently coated the pulp-carrying trough 11 is The action of these' shut off by means of the gate-valve 17. That part of the pulp which passes with the water over the table drops into the trough 4, from which it runs in the form of waste. Vhen it shall have so run off, the deflector-board S will be turned in the position to direct material into the trough 7, as indicated in Fig. 1. Then water from the pipe 18 will be admitted through the pipe 19, and this water will wash the deposit of metal from the canvas and will float the same into the trough 7, from which it will be carried to the settlingtroughs.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In the art of separating metals from tailings or the like, a series of tables, a carriertrough common to all of the tables, a grading-hopper at the feed end of said carriertrough, a water-pipe extended into the bottom of said hopper and having outletperforations, another pipe surrounding the firstnamed pipe, and a boxing surrounding the last-named pipe and provided with an outlet, substantially as specified.

2. A separator for metals, comprising a series of inclined tables, a distributor at the upper end of each table, a carrier-trough common to all of the tables, a boxing secured to the trough over each table, the said boxing having a partition dividingit into upper and lower chambers, a valve for controlling an opening through the partition, a pipe leading from the lower of said chambers to the distributer, the upper chamber having communication with the trough, 'a water-pipe extended along the trough, and valve-controlled pipes leading from the water-pipe through the closed upper ends of the lower chambers, substantially as specified.

3. In the art of separating metals from tailings or the like, a series of inclined tables each having a canvas cover, a carrier-trough extended across the series of tables above their upper ends and having communication with the several tables, a hopper at the feed end of said carrier-trough, a pipe extended from the bottom of the hopper and terminating in a horizontally-disposed boxing having an outlet, a Water-pipe leading into said boxing and throughthe pipe extended from the hopper, the said pipe being provided in its vertical portion with perforations, a valve for controlling said water-pipe, a smaller Waterpipe in the first-named water-pipe and extended into the lower portion of the hopper, perforated cross-pipes upon the upper end of said water-pipe, and a valve at the lower end of said inner pipe, substantially as specified.

WVILLIAM J. DIVYER.

Witnesses:

J. L. PRICKETT, T. E. LIBMow. 

